random tidbits

If you look at Georgia, they’re still a good team,” said defensive end Derrick Morgan. “Like coach (Dave) Wommack said in our meeting, they’re two or three plays away in a couple of their losses from having a really great record. We’re not underestimating them. We’re never overconfident. We remain humble, even though we’ve had a pretty good deal of success this year.

A hard but fair look at stumbling Dogs

3:55 pm November 23, 2009, by Bill King

Paul Johnson is riding high right now. Mark Richt, not so much. Will Richt address the "decay" in his program? (Brant Sanderlin / AJC)

My friend John is kind of blunt but prides himself on being “hard but fair.” That’s how I’d characterize this assessment of the current state of the Dogs by ESPN.com’s Chris Low:

“There was already a black cloud hovering over Georgia’s football program. This season hadn’t been what anybody wanted, but then the Bulldogs went out and lost to Kentucky … at home. Not only did they lose, but they dominated the statistics and still managed to lose. But that’s what happens when you turn the ball over four times in the second half and have 75 penalty yards for the game. The Bulldogs (6-5, 4-4) are staring squarely into the face of their first non-winning regular season since Jim Donnan’s first season in Athens in 1996. The Bulldogs might not be one of the top two most talented teams in the SEC, but they’re certainly one of the top three or four. Talent is not Georgia’s problem. It’s focus. It’s execution. It’s player development and it’s discipline. When you commit as many penalties as the Bulldogs have the past two seasons and turn the ball over as many times as they have this season (26), it’s obvious that there’s a decay in the program somewhere that has to be addressed. Mark Richt has been as classy as they come and as consistent as they come. But if he doesn’t address this decay with more than just cosmetic changes, then it’s going to be addressed for him.”

Ouch.

What do you think? Too pessimistic? Right on the mark?

I’ll be off Tuesday as usual, but the Blawg will return on Wednesday.

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"it’s obvious that there’s a decay in the program somewhere that has to be addressed."

Wow.

Georgia Tech tied with Texas for the lowest graduation rate of any top 10 football team, according to the NCAA's latest report on the academic success of student athletes released on Wednesday.

Also lurking in the field is No. 5 Villanova, an upstart Final Four team last season that has the perimeter prowess to get back. In a relatively lopsided bracket, Tech could face Villanova in a semifinal game Friday, if the Jackets beat Dayton and Villanova beats George Mason.

About the Flyers

They’re 5-4 against ranked teams since 2007-08. UD averaged nearly 14 turnovers per game last season but had just six in the final exhibition game against Northern Kentucky and only nine in the 90-80 season-opening win against Creighton. Chris Wright appears to have elevated his game, making 9-of-12 shots against the Bluejays, including both 3-point attempts. Sub Chris Johnson had 18 points and 15 rebounds in the opener.

The road from here to atlanta normally takes you straight north, but new directions to georgia tech show a turn slightly west... As in will west from chiles high. This afternoon the baseball stud signed a divsion 1 scholarship to play ball for the yellowjackets... West has been an absolute menace in the big bend, throwing a pair of no-hitters last season while at north florida christian. He's now a senior at chiles and couldn't be happier about turning down FSU, Auburn and UCF in order to become Georgia Tech bound..

"It's a big relief. Definitely a big relief. I think I can go into my senior year just free. Know that I'm set on going to Tech, and just worry about my season, and not really about next year." said Will West.

Georgia Tech has been challenged in and out of the ACC all season long. The only game they played where there wasn’t a threat for them to lose was the opener vs. Jacksonville State. 3 of their 4 non-conference games are against the SEC. At the moment, before the Georgia game, I think the Yellow Jackets have a better total body of work with one loss and a tougher schedule than TCU/Cincinnati/Boise State.